Illumination control for an imaging system

Abstract

An imaging system includes an illumination source configured to illuminate at least a portion of a vehicle interior. A camera is configured to capture one or more images of the portion of the vehicle interior. A controller is in communication with the illumination source and the camera. The controller is configured to receive the one or more images, identify a glare associated with an occupant of the vehicle interior in the one or more images, and generate and communicate a signal to adjust the illumination source to limit the glare.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An imaging system, comprising:
 a plurality of illumination sources spaced from one another and configured to illuminate at least a portion of a vehicle interior from different angles;   a camera configured to capture one or more images of the portion of the vehicle interior; and   a controller in communication with the illumination source and the camera, the controller configured to:
 receive the one or more images; 
 identify a glare associated with a surface of an occupant in the vehicle interior in the one or more images; 
 identify an angle of incidence to identify an illumination source of the plurality of illumination sources responsible for the glare; and 
 generate and communicate a signal to adjust the illumination source responsible for the glare to limit the glare. 
   
     
     
         2 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 estimate an angle of the surface of the occupant with the glare to determine the angle of incidence.   
     
     
         3 . The imaging system of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 differentiate between the illumination source of the plurality of illumination sources responsible for the glare by comparing the estimated angle to the contour of the surface.   
     
     
         4 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources each include at least one emitter bank. 
     
     
         5 . The imaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one emitter bank includes at least two emitter banks. 
     
     
         6 . The imaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one emitter bank includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes in an array. 
     
     
         7 . The imaging system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one emitter bank is configured as an infrared emitter bank. 
     
     
         8 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of illumination sources are respectively spaced from one another greater than 5° from a seatback associated with the occupant. 
     
     
         9 . A rearview mirror assembly including the imaging system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The imaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller in operable communication with an electro-optic device, the controller further configured to:
 identify a glare associated with ambient lighting;   determine an angle of incidence from the ambient lighting; and   generate an instruction to darken the electro-optic device associated with the glare associated with ambient lighting.   
     
     
         11 . An imaging system, comprising:
 a plurality of illumination sources spaced from one another and configured to illuminate at least a portion of a vehicle interior from different angles, wherein the first illumination source projects a first illumination and the second illumination source projects a second illumination in a different wavelength than the first illumination;   a camera configured to capture one or more images of the portion of the vehicle interior, the camera including a color filter to capture the one or more images of both the first and second illuminations; and   a controller in communication with the illumination source and the camera, the controller configured to:
 receive the one or more images; 
 identify a glare associated with a surface of an occupant in the vehicle interior in the one or more images; 
 identify a wavelength responsible for the glare; and 
 generate and communicate a signal to adjust the illumination source responsible for the glare to limit the glare. 
   
     
     
         12 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the first illumination is configured to illuminate biometric features and the camera is configured to capture biometric data associated with the occupant. 
     
     
         13 . The imaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the first illumination is in the infrared or near infrared wavelength. 
     
     
         14 . The imaging system of  claim 13 , wherein the color filter is an RGB-IR color filter or an RGB-NIR (RGBN) color filter. 
     
     
         15 . An imaging system, comprising:
 a plurality of illumination sources spaced from one another and configured to illuminate at least a portion of a vehicle interior from different angles;   a camera configured to capture one or more images of the portion of the vehicle interior; and   a controller in communication with the illumination source and the camera, the controller configured to:
 receive the one or more images; 
 identify an occupant's eyes; 
 identify a glare associated with the occupant's eyes in the one or more images; 
 identify a shape of the glare and a projection angle of the glare to identify an illumination source of the plurality of illumination sources responsible for the glare; and 
 generate and communicate a signal to adjust the illumination source responsible for the glare to limit the glare. 
   
     
     
         16 . The imaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to utilize known distances between the plurality of illumination sources to triangulate the projection angle of the light source responsible for the glare. 
     
     
         17 . The imaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to utilize known distances between the plurality of illumination sources and the camera to determine the proximity of the light source responsible for the glare to the camera. 
     
     
         18 . The imaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to review pixel data in the one or more images to determine the shape of the glare. 
     
     
         19 . The imaging system of  claim 15 , further including:
 a thermal management circuit including a plurality of temperature sensors located proximate the plurality of illumination sources, the plurality of temperature sensors configured to detect if one of the plurality of illumination sources have a temperature beyond a predetermined threshold; and   wherein the controller is further configured to, if one illumination source of the plurality of illumination sources have a temperature beyond a predetermined threshold, reduce at least one of an intensity, pulse rate, or duration of at least one of the illumination associated with the illumination source.   
     
     
         20 . The imaging system of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to track the position of the occupant's eyes to determine an alertness level of an occupant.